Monday, June 6, 2011
Helping feral (out door) cats in the Miami Beach 33141 area.
Helping feral (out door) cats in the Miami Beach 33141 area.
Creating Fundraising Appeals That Work
Fundraising Help
Increase your influence in the community and effect change at the local level on a greater scale. These financial tools will help you get started.
Build Trap-Neuter-Return Capacity »
Start Your Own Organization »
How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program »
Creating Fundraising Appeals That Work
Getting Your Paws on More Money
Resources for obtaining food
Tips for building inexpensive cat shelters
Grassroots Fundraising: How individuals and small groups can raise money to help feral cats – Powerpoint | PDF
Determine a funding plan – step 4 of How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Financial Resources for Cat Care
Increase your influence in the community and effect change at the local level on a greater scale. These financial tools will help you get started.
Build Trap-Neuter-Return Capacity »
Start Your Own Organization »
How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program »
Creating Fundraising Appeals That Work
Getting Your Paws on More Money
Resources for obtaining food
Tips for building inexpensive cat shelters
Grassroots Fundraising: How individuals and small groups can raise money to help feral cats – Powerpoint | PDF
Determine a funding plan – step 4 of How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Financial Resources for Cat Care
Find or Become a Feral Cat Resource in Your Community
Find or Become a Feral Cat Resource in Your Community
The Feral Friends Network—the backbone of Alley Cat Allies—is a group of both organizations and individuals with hands-on Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cat expertise and veterinary practices and clinics that spay and neuter feral cats who serve as a resource to people in communities worldwide.
Members of the Feral Friends Network are called Feral Friends.
Find Feral Friends in Your Area
Are you in need of help and advice about feral cats in your community?
Have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
Check either the option for contacting us as an individual or on behalf of an organization and check the “Feral Friends” item on page two of the form.
Become a Feral Friend – Join the Feral Friends Network
Would you like to serve as a resource for people helping feral cats in your community?
As a Feral Friend, your information will be shared with people requesting help with feral cats in your local area, and they will contact you themselves. Learn more in the sections below.
Learn More about your Organization Becoming a Feral Friend and Apply »
Learn More about Becoming an Individual Feral Friend and Apply »
Update Your Feral Friend Profile »
Interested in acquiring barn cats for a farm or stable?
Though Alley Cat Allies does not endorse the relocation of feral cats, there are situations when cats' lives are threatened or in danger and there is no choice but to move them.
Learn More about safe relocation of feral cats»
To find local organizations in need of barn homes for feral cats, have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
The Feral Friends Network—the backbone of Alley Cat Allies—is a group of both organizations and individuals with hands-on Trap-Neuter-Return and feral cat expertise and veterinary practices and clinics that spay and neuter feral cats who serve as a resource to people in communities worldwide.
Members of the Feral Friends Network are called Feral Friends.
Find Feral Friends in Your Area
Are you in need of help and advice about feral cats in your community?
Have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
Check either the option for contacting us as an individual or on behalf of an organization and check the “Feral Friends” item on page two of the form.
Become a Feral Friend – Join the Feral Friends Network
Would you like to serve as a resource for people helping feral cats in your community?
As a Feral Friend, your information will be shared with people requesting help with feral cats in your local area, and they will contact you themselves. Learn more in the sections below.
Learn More about your Organization Becoming a Feral Friend and Apply »
Learn More about Becoming an Individual Feral Friend and Apply »
Update Your Feral Friend Profile »
Interested in acquiring barn cats for a farm or stable?
Though Alley Cat Allies does not endorse the relocation of feral cats, there are situations when cats' lives are threatened or in danger and there is no choice but to move them.
Learn More about safe relocation of feral cats»
To find local organizations in need of barn homes for feral cats, have a list of Feral Friends automatically emailed to you via our inquiry form.
When caring for a feral cat colony and performing Trap-Neuter-Return
When caring for a feral cat colony and performing Trap-Neuter-Return, you are likely to encounter cats who are friendly even upon first meeting you. Stray cats act differently than feral cats—they tend to approach you more readily, vocalize more, and may look disheveled, as if they are not used to living on their own. (Learn more about how to tell the difference between a stray and feral cat.) A stray cat once had a home and is socialized to humans, but has become lost or abandoned. Follow these steps to either return her to her home or find her a new one.
Step-by-Step
› How to Find Homes for Stray Cats
Try to Find the Cat's Home
Publicize and Promote the Cat for Adoption
Adopt the Cat into the Best Home Possible
Printer Friendly guide
How and When to Care for and Socialize Feral Kittens
First Steps When You Find Kittens Outdoors
Kitten and Mom Scenarios and How to Trap
How to Care for Neonatal Kittens
Socializing Feral Kittens
Printer Friendly guide
PDF version - Socializing Feral Kittens
Quick Links
How to Determine Whether a Cat is Stray or Feral »
Adoption Application Sample »
Adoption Contract Sample »
Why it's Trap-Neuter-Return and not Trap-Neuter Adopt »
Need more information?
Use our online inquiry form
1) Try to find the cat's home.
Check for a tag or microchip. If a cat has a tag, call any numbers and attempt to track down the guardian. The collar may only have a number for a veterinarian; a call there may help track down her home. A veterinarian or rescue group can also use a scanner to help you determine if the cat is microchipped.
Check local shelters and lost and found ads. Calling local shelters and animal pounds to let them know you are caring for a lost cat can yield results. Shelters and pounds are usually the first place guardians call when looking for their cat, and they keep lists to help match up callers. Make sure to ask if they have found pet or lost pet sections of their website or at the shelter in the form of beinders to search or post an entry. Be sure to check the shelter bulletin boards as well.
Be advised that if you take the cat to an animal shelter, she may be killed. Always ask the shelter about their adoption procedures, typical duration of stay, and “euthanasia” policies. If you do turn over the cat, realize that you may not be able to reclaim her if the guardian is not found.
Check your local paper’s “lost” ads, in print and online. You may also want to check various online resources, including your local Craig's List, as well as national listings on www.petfinder.com/classifieds/classifiedhop.html, www.lostandfound.com, www.anypet.com, or www.pets911.com.
Spread the word. You can place your own “found” ad in the same places listed above—your local newspaper and online. Additionally, create a colorful flyer to post around the place you found the cat. Describe the cat’s coloring, fur length, location where she was found, and a photo if possible. Include your phone number and/or email.
Be wary of dishonest callers. Ask callers to: describe their cat in depth; provide a reference, such as a veterinarian; send in advance or bring along a photo of the cat; and give you their name, address, and phone number. Leave out some information about the cat on your flyer to help you confirm the guardian’s story.
Next Step: Publicize and promote the cat for adoption.
Step-by-Step
› How to Find Homes for Stray Cats
Try to Find the Cat's Home
Publicize and Promote the Cat for Adoption
Adopt the Cat into the Best Home Possible
Printer Friendly guide
How and When to Care for and Socialize Feral Kittens
First Steps When You Find Kittens Outdoors
Kitten and Mom Scenarios and How to Trap
How to Care for Neonatal Kittens
Socializing Feral Kittens
Printer Friendly guide
PDF version - Socializing Feral Kittens
Quick Links
How to Determine Whether a Cat is Stray or Feral »
Adoption Application Sample »
Adoption Contract Sample »
Why it's Trap-Neuter-Return and not Trap-Neuter Adopt »
Need more information?
Use our online inquiry form
1) Try to find the cat's home.
Check for a tag or microchip. If a cat has a tag, call any numbers and attempt to track down the guardian. The collar may only have a number for a veterinarian; a call there may help track down her home. A veterinarian or rescue group can also use a scanner to help you determine if the cat is microchipped.
Check local shelters and lost and found ads. Calling local shelters and animal pounds to let them know you are caring for a lost cat can yield results. Shelters and pounds are usually the first place guardians call when looking for their cat, and they keep lists to help match up callers. Make sure to ask if they have found pet or lost pet sections of their website or at the shelter in the form of beinders to search or post an entry. Be sure to check the shelter bulletin boards as well.
Be advised that if you take the cat to an animal shelter, she may be killed. Always ask the shelter about their adoption procedures, typical duration of stay, and “euthanasia” policies. If you do turn over the cat, realize that you may not be able to reclaim her if the guardian is not found.
Check your local paper’s “lost” ads, in print and online. You may also want to check various online resources, including your local Craig's List, as well as national listings on www.petfinder.com/classifieds/classifiedhop.html, www.lostandfound.com, www.anypet.com, or www.pets911.com.
Spread the word. You can place your own “found” ad in the same places listed above—your local newspaper and online. Additionally, create a colorful flyer to post around the place you found the cat. Describe the cat’s coloring, fur length, location where she was found, and a photo if possible. Include your phone number and/or email.
Be wary of dishonest callers. Ask callers to: describe their cat in depth; provide a reference, such as a veterinarian; send in advance or bring along a photo of the cat; and give you their name, address, and phone number. Leave out some information about the cat on your flyer to help you confirm the guardian’s story.
Next Step: Publicize and promote the cat for adoption.
Publicity Guide
Publicity Guide - How To
How to write a Letter to the Editor
How to write and send a press release
How to Write a Letter to the Editor
As an advocate for feral cat policy reform, it’s up to you to be the voice for your community cats. Every time an article appears in the paper about feral cats, or even cats in general, you have an opportunity to have a letter to the editor printed. You can respond to positive and to negative articles. This is your opportunity to educate the public—on the truth about animal shelter high kill rates, Trap-Neuter-Return, and local programs and Trap-Neuter-Return groups, or simply familiarize people with outdoor cats in general. There are others like you that will discover there is a public movement on behalf of cats.
Tips
Check your local newspaper to find out who should receive the letter. You can also find that information online or by calling the newsroom.
Make the letter short and to the point. Most publications have a word limit for letters to the editor. Ask what it is and stick to it. They will edit (without your input) or just not print a letter that is too long.
Don’t preach or rant. Don’t get personal. Stick to the issue and offer a solution or at least a course of action.
Sign your letter and include your address and phone number. They may call you to verify that you submitted the letter, but will not print your contact information.
Send the letter via e-mail or fax, depending on the newspaper’s preference.
Templates »
When, How, and Why to Send Out a Press Release
A well-written press release can increase your public exposure and ability to fundraise and even help you gain supporters and volunteers. The press release is your vehicle for telling the public, via the media, the basic “who, what, when, where, and why” of your story. You should consider writing a press release when your organization :
Takes action or a stand on an issue
Gives or receives an award
Evaluates lawmakers or other public officials (as in a report card) for good work or bad
Launches or completes a new study, book, videotape, or survey of public opinion
Starts or finishes a fund drive
Appoints a new leader and/or takes a new direction
Holds an event
Calls for the passage or defeat of legislation
Feral cat groups may also have reason for a press release to garner volunteers, to announce a spay and neuter day, to rally the public behind their cause, to respond to misguided policies about feral cat caregivers or licensing laws, or to raise awareness about local shelter practices.
Your press release should raise the readers’ curiosity and entice them to ask more questions about what you are doing and why you are doing it. The release should be a jumping-off point for the reporter to write an article or report on your exciting news.
While it is important to know when to send out a release, it is also important to know when not to send a release. Bombarding reporters with information that is not newsworthy can sometimes lead to “information overload” and may backfire. The key to success is developing relationships with your local media by keeping track of what they cover and what kind of information they will find useful.
Before you write that next release, answer these questions :
What do you hope to accomplish by getting out a press release?
Who outside your organization really cares?
Is it truly newsworthy?
Will the resulting press coverage (if any) help your organization?
Can you accomplish the purpose better in another way?
Essential Elements of an Effective Press Release
Make your headline sing to readers and draw their attention. A headline should be creative and eye-catching—but not sensational. Most reporters receive hundreds of press releases seeking to gain their attention. It’s your job to craft a short, punchy, well-crafted headline that encapsulates the major news angle and entices reporters to write about your issue or event.
Introduction. Start with a strong headline to grab the reader’s attention. The headline along with your opening sentence (the lead) should tell a gripping story. This is essential to keeping reader interest through the detail section of the release that follows.
Get to the point. Read local newspapers to get a good feel for the kind of information that belongs up front. The lead should provide a brief overview of the “who, what, where, when, and why” of your story. And remember—news is what’s new and different.
Include just the facts. Make it interesting and exciting, but avoid embellishments. Narrow down the details you give in your press release to just the essentials. You have control over how you and your organization are viewed in the media and by the public. Maintaining a sound, reasonable voice backed by facts and examples will help you sustain credibility. A well-crafted press release is rarely more than one page in length.
Choose your angle. Choose your approach carefully and try to make it relevant to the audience that will read the story you are trying to get the reporter to write. Further, think about what is hot in the news or events coming up or recently passed—these are called “news hooks.” Editors like to see continuity in their publications, so finding a way to tie into holidays or other opportunities that are already in the news is a great way to get attention.
Another great way to develop the hook is to find a way to tie your event or accomplishment into a larger news story. For example, if you want to publicize a spay and neuter clinic, think about pitching it to the reporter by talking about how you do these clinics monthly, the beneficial impact on the community, and positive feedback you have received from the residents who have been helped. Incorporate anecdotes.
You may need to think about your work in a different way. For instance, you are helping people help cats, or even helping people who would not have received help otherwise. In some cases this may lead you to focus more on the people than the cats.
Check it once and check it again. Be concise and grammatically correct. Adding fluff will only distract from the true meaning of your press release. Don't include clichés and jargon that may not be understood by the general reader. For example, always briefly explain Trap-Neuter-Return upon the first mention. Always ask for permission before attributing a quote to anyone, and make sure it too is factually correct. Be sure to check your release for punctuation and grammatical errors.
Always include a quote. Press releases should be documents of fact. They are not a place to editorialize. For a chance to tell your side of the story and add interest to the press release, include a quote from the designated spokesperson of your organization or partner group.
Eight Tips for Writing an Effective Press Release
Make sure what you are writing about is newsworthy.
Write for the readers of the newspaper, not the reporters and editors. Many times newspapers will print a story almost exclusively from a press release.
Start with a brief description of the news, and then distinguish who announced it, and not the other way around. Make sure to give the reader a reason to keep on reading.
Ask yourself, "Is the message I am sending positive and understandable?"
Make sure the first ten words of your release are effective and get your point across succinctly—these are the most important words you write.
Deal in facts, not hyperbole. Don’t use exclamation points. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language.
Make it as easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs. Provide contact information at the top and bottom of the release including: individual to contact, address, phone, fax, e-mail, and website address.
Make sure you wait until you have a story with enough substance—and all the information you need, including contact information and permission for using your quotes—before issuing a release.
How to write a Letter to the Editor
How to write and send a press release
How to Write a Letter to the Editor
As an advocate for feral cat policy reform, it’s up to you to be the voice for your community cats. Every time an article appears in the paper about feral cats, or even cats in general, you have an opportunity to have a letter to the editor printed. You can respond to positive and to negative articles. This is your opportunity to educate the public—on the truth about animal shelter high kill rates, Trap-Neuter-Return, and local programs and Trap-Neuter-Return groups, or simply familiarize people with outdoor cats in general. There are others like you that will discover there is a public movement on behalf of cats.
Tips
Check your local newspaper to find out who should receive the letter. You can also find that information online or by calling the newsroom.
Make the letter short and to the point. Most publications have a word limit for letters to the editor. Ask what it is and stick to it. They will edit (without your input) or just not print a letter that is too long.
Don’t preach or rant. Don’t get personal. Stick to the issue and offer a solution or at least a course of action.
Sign your letter and include your address and phone number. They may call you to verify that you submitted the letter, but will not print your contact information.
Send the letter via e-mail or fax, depending on the newspaper’s preference.
Templates »
When, How, and Why to Send Out a Press Release
A well-written press release can increase your public exposure and ability to fundraise and even help you gain supporters and volunteers. The press release is your vehicle for telling the public, via the media, the basic “who, what, when, where, and why” of your story. You should consider writing a press release when your organization :
Takes action or a stand on an issue
Gives or receives an award
Evaluates lawmakers or other public officials (as in a report card) for good work or bad
Launches or completes a new study, book, videotape, or survey of public opinion
Starts or finishes a fund drive
Appoints a new leader and/or takes a new direction
Holds an event
Calls for the passage or defeat of legislation
Feral cat groups may also have reason for a press release to garner volunteers, to announce a spay and neuter day, to rally the public behind their cause, to respond to misguided policies about feral cat caregivers or licensing laws, or to raise awareness about local shelter practices.
Your press release should raise the readers’ curiosity and entice them to ask more questions about what you are doing and why you are doing it. The release should be a jumping-off point for the reporter to write an article or report on your exciting news.
While it is important to know when to send out a release, it is also important to know when not to send a release. Bombarding reporters with information that is not newsworthy can sometimes lead to “information overload” and may backfire. The key to success is developing relationships with your local media by keeping track of what they cover and what kind of information they will find useful.
Before you write that next release, answer these questions :
What do you hope to accomplish by getting out a press release?
Who outside your organization really cares?
Is it truly newsworthy?
Will the resulting press coverage (if any) help your organization?
Can you accomplish the purpose better in another way?
Essential Elements of an Effective Press Release
Make your headline sing to readers and draw their attention. A headline should be creative and eye-catching—but not sensational. Most reporters receive hundreds of press releases seeking to gain their attention. It’s your job to craft a short, punchy, well-crafted headline that encapsulates the major news angle and entices reporters to write about your issue or event.
Introduction. Start with a strong headline to grab the reader’s attention. The headline along with your opening sentence (the lead) should tell a gripping story. This is essential to keeping reader interest through the detail section of the release that follows.
Get to the point. Read local newspapers to get a good feel for the kind of information that belongs up front. The lead should provide a brief overview of the “who, what, where, when, and why” of your story. And remember—news is what’s new and different.
Include just the facts. Make it interesting and exciting, but avoid embellishments. Narrow down the details you give in your press release to just the essentials. You have control over how you and your organization are viewed in the media and by the public. Maintaining a sound, reasonable voice backed by facts and examples will help you sustain credibility. A well-crafted press release is rarely more than one page in length.
Choose your angle. Choose your approach carefully and try to make it relevant to the audience that will read the story you are trying to get the reporter to write. Further, think about what is hot in the news or events coming up or recently passed—these are called “news hooks.” Editors like to see continuity in their publications, so finding a way to tie into holidays or other opportunities that are already in the news is a great way to get attention.
Another great way to develop the hook is to find a way to tie your event or accomplishment into a larger news story. For example, if you want to publicize a spay and neuter clinic, think about pitching it to the reporter by talking about how you do these clinics monthly, the beneficial impact on the community, and positive feedback you have received from the residents who have been helped. Incorporate anecdotes.
You may need to think about your work in a different way. For instance, you are helping people help cats, or even helping people who would not have received help otherwise. In some cases this may lead you to focus more on the people than the cats.
Check it once and check it again. Be concise and grammatically correct. Adding fluff will only distract from the true meaning of your press release. Don't include clichés and jargon that may not be understood by the general reader. For example, always briefly explain Trap-Neuter-Return upon the first mention. Always ask for permission before attributing a quote to anyone, and make sure it too is factually correct. Be sure to check your release for punctuation and grammatical errors.
Always include a quote. Press releases should be documents of fact. They are not a place to editorialize. For a chance to tell your side of the story and add interest to the press release, include a quote from the designated spokesperson of your organization or partner group.
Eight Tips for Writing an Effective Press Release
Make sure what you are writing about is newsworthy.
Write for the readers of the newspaper, not the reporters and editors. Many times newspapers will print a story almost exclusively from a press release.
Start with a brief description of the news, and then distinguish who announced it, and not the other way around. Make sure to give the reader a reason to keep on reading.
Ask yourself, "Is the message I am sending positive and understandable?"
Make sure the first ten words of your release are effective and get your point across succinctly—these are the most important words you write.
Deal in facts, not hyperbole. Don’t use exclamation points. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and fancy language.
Make it as easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs. Provide contact information at the top and bottom of the release including: individual to contact, address, phone, fax, e-mail, and website address.
Make sure you wait until you have a story with enough substance—and all the information you need, including contact information and permission for using your quotes—before issuing a release.
Working with the Media
Working with the Media
Media coverage is one of the best ways to draw attention and support to your feral cat activities. Unlike advertising, you have limited control in a news story over how you or your organization is portrayed—but the placement and recognition are free.
There are steps you can take to manage all of your interactions with the media to generate the best outcomes and coverage possible. You can control the message. The trick is to be prepared.
Be Prepared for a Media Interview
Before a media interview, prepare the three key points you want to get across (see sidebar).
Keep the messages in your key points simple and direct. Write them down and review them several times before your interview.
Remember that while it is okay to consult notes during print or radio interviews, it’s out of the question for television, so practice, practice, practice!
Find out as much as you can about who is interviewing you.
Listen carefully to the reporter's question and answer by linking the question to your three key points.
It’s okay to repeat your messages. In fact, it will help to keep you on point.
Don’t be rushed into answering. Just pause, and think.
Don’t make up anything.
On television, project a cool, professional image. Sit up straight, and don’t wear stripes or busy patterns.
Don’t look into the camera. Look at the person who is talking.
Project enthusiasm for your message, but don’t come across as a zealot.
Send a thank you note to the reporter following the interview and offer to be a source for future stories.
Make Yourself Media Savvy
Here are some simple, successful methods of establishing an ongoing, positive relationship with your local media.
Plan ahead. Create a brief media plan, detailing your goals, target audiences, and key messages. If you are planning on sharing a story, make sure it is newsworthy or interesting from a human interest standpoint. Think about creative hooks—you are the one who will have to sell this. Do you have a local angle for a national story? Is there a local crisis or ongoing issue that your expertise can tie into?
Develop a comprehensive media list. The media list is by far the most important aspect of media relations. If the list isn’t up to date or the contact person’s name is wrong, then your message is lost or delayed. Start by identifying newspapers, magazines, and television and radio stations in your market area. Include online community calendars offered as a public service by many print and broadcast outlets. Also, consider submitting information to the local civic league newsletters that many neighborhoods publish. Determine the contact person(s), beat covered (if available), address, phone and fax numbers, and email. Most of this information is online or available at the main desk of the newsroom. Organize this information so that it can be easily updated, leaving room for any follow-up or results tracking.
Build relationships. The best way to build good relationships is to pitch stories that are truly newsworthy. Become a regular “media consumer” to understand the kind of stories that are being covered and how issues are written about or portrayed. Research reporters in your local media outlets to decide who covers the issues closest to yours. Learn how reporters you will contact prefer to receive information—by fax or email.
A call before sending out an advisory or press release will help the reporter associate your story with a voice and make the release stand out amongst all of the other materials he or she receives. Keep in mind that reporters are busy people and some do not prefer follow-up phone calls. Others appreciate the reminder and will thank you. As you establish relationships with reporters and editors, you can determine whether a follow-up is necessary. If you decide to follow up and you are staging an event, make your call one or two days in advance. Always be brief and to the point.
To Announce an Event: Create a Media Advisory
A media advisory alerts reporters to your event in advance in a condensed way. It should:
Let the reporter know the “who, what, when, where, and why” of the event, including contact information—phone numbers, email, and website.
Be succinct and informative—keep it to one page. Put the material on your organization’s letterhead. Write a catchy headline.
Get the advisory to the right people. Email or fax to the metro editor (if you live in an area with a large daily newspaper), or the news editor or managing editor (if you are sending the advisory to a daily newspaper or a weekly/biweekly newspaper). Email or fax your advisory to the assignment editor at television and radio stations. Send your advisory five business days in advance for daily newspapers, radio, and television, and two weeks in advance for weekly newspapers.
To Pitch a Story: Send a News Release
If the media advisory is the invitation to the party, the news release, or press release, is a news story about the event. It is also a means of educating an audience about a particular subject. News releases should be:
Detailed and should contain at least one quote from your spokesperson.
Able to go straight to print. Sometimes a news outlet does not have a reporter available to follow up on the details of the release, but considers your message to be of reader interest. Often, if this is the case—and the release is well-written—the editor will publish your news release as an actual news story.
Printed on your organization’s letterhead. Include a photo attachment if you have one.
Read more about how to write and send a press release and see examples »
Releasing the story via email or fax is acceptable and often preferred. If the release is about an event, send it out the day before the event.
Media coverage is one of the best ways to draw attention and support to your feral cat activities. Unlike advertising, you have limited control in a news story over how you or your organization is portrayed—but the placement and recognition are free.
There are steps you can take to manage all of your interactions with the media to generate the best outcomes and coverage possible. You can control the message. The trick is to be prepared.
Be Prepared for a Media Interview
Before a media interview, prepare the three key points you want to get across (see sidebar).
Keep the messages in your key points simple and direct. Write them down and review them several times before your interview.
Remember that while it is okay to consult notes during print or radio interviews, it’s out of the question for television, so practice, practice, practice!
Find out as much as you can about who is interviewing you.
Listen carefully to the reporter's question and answer by linking the question to your three key points.
It’s okay to repeat your messages. In fact, it will help to keep you on point.
Don’t be rushed into answering. Just pause, and think.
Don’t make up anything.
On television, project a cool, professional image. Sit up straight, and don’t wear stripes or busy patterns.
Don’t look into the camera. Look at the person who is talking.
Project enthusiasm for your message, but don’t come across as a zealot.
Send a thank you note to the reporter following the interview and offer to be a source for future stories.
Make Yourself Media Savvy
Here are some simple, successful methods of establishing an ongoing, positive relationship with your local media.
Plan ahead. Create a brief media plan, detailing your goals, target audiences, and key messages. If you are planning on sharing a story, make sure it is newsworthy or interesting from a human interest standpoint. Think about creative hooks—you are the one who will have to sell this. Do you have a local angle for a national story? Is there a local crisis or ongoing issue that your expertise can tie into?
Develop a comprehensive media list. The media list is by far the most important aspect of media relations. If the list isn’t up to date or the contact person’s name is wrong, then your message is lost or delayed. Start by identifying newspapers, magazines, and television and radio stations in your market area. Include online community calendars offered as a public service by many print and broadcast outlets. Also, consider submitting information to the local civic league newsletters that many neighborhoods publish. Determine the contact person(s), beat covered (if available), address, phone and fax numbers, and email. Most of this information is online or available at the main desk of the newsroom. Organize this information so that it can be easily updated, leaving room for any follow-up or results tracking.
Build relationships. The best way to build good relationships is to pitch stories that are truly newsworthy. Become a regular “media consumer” to understand the kind of stories that are being covered and how issues are written about or portrayed. Research reporters in your local media outlets to decide who covers the issues closest to yours. Learn how reporters you will contact prefer to receive information—by fax or email.
A call before sending out an advisory or press release will help the reporter associate your story with a voice and make the release stand out amongst all of the other materials he or she receives. Keep in mind that reporters are busy people and some do not prefer follow-up phone calls. Others appreciate the reminder and will thank you. As you establish relationships with reporters and editors, you can determine whether a follow-up is necessary. If you decide to follow up and you are staging an event, make your call one or two days in advance. Always be brief and to the point.
To Announce an Event: Create a Media Advisory
A media advisory alerts reporters to your event in advance in a condensed way. It should:
Let the reporter know the “who, what, when, where, and why” of the event, including contact information—phone numbers, email, and website.
Be succinct and informative—keep it to one page. Put the material on your organization’s letterhead. Write a catchy headline.
Get the advisory to the right people. Email or fax to the metro editor (if you live in an area with a large daily newspaper), or the news editor or managing editor (if you are sending the advisory to a daily newspaper or a weekly/biweekly newspaper). Email or fax your advisory to the assignment editor at television and radio stations. Send your advisory five business days in advance for daily newspapers, radio, and television, and two weeks in advance for weekly newspapers.
To Pitch a Story: Send a News Release
If the media advisory is the invitation to the party, the news release, or press release, is a news story about the event. It is also a means of educating an audience about a particular subject. News releases should be:
Detailed and should contain at least one quote from your spokesperson.
Able to go straight to print. Sometimes a news outlet does not have a reporter available to follow up on the details of the release, but considers your message to be of reader interest. Often, if this is the case—and the release is well-written—the editor will publish your news release as an actual news story.
Printed on your organization’s letterhead. Include a photo attachment if you have one.
Read more about how to write and send a press release and see examples »
Releasing the story via email or fax is acceptable and often preferred. If the release is about an event, send it out the day before the event.
Community relations—making yourself available
Community Relations Resource Center
Community relations—making yourself available, taking the initiative to communicate, providing first-hand knowledge and expertise on cat behavior, and following through on your promises—can save cats’ lives.
You may need to communicate with your neighbors in a friendly and educational way; you may need to work with them to find resolution to issues or concerns; or you may be facing threats to the cats in your colony requiring more aggressive response or even campaigning. Whatever the goals of your interactions, these tools can help you bring about widespread change in your community, and ensure that it continues to be a safe and happy home for both the cats and the neighbors.
Community relations—making yourself available, taking the initiative to communicate, providing first-hand knowledge and expertise on cat behavior, and following through on your promises—can save cats’ lives.
You may need to communicate with your neighbors in a friendly and educational way; you may need to work with them to find resolution to issues or concerns; or you may be facing threats to the cats in your colony requiring more aggressive response or even campaigning. Whatever the goals of your interactions, these tools can help you bring about widespread change in your community, and ensure that it continues to be a safe and happy home for both the cats and the neighbors.
How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program.
How to Implement an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Feral cats require a different kind of care because they are unsocialized to people and are not candidates for adoption. Many organizations recognize their unique needs, and offer information about how to improve the lives of stray and feral cats. Others want to go a step further and launch their own Trap-Neuter-Return programs. These groups understand that the best practice is to neuter, vaccinate, and allow feral cats to remain in their original habitat along with their colony members. Alley Cat Allies’ guidelines will help organizations interested in adopting this humane, life-saving program implement one that is effective and sustainable.
Because every community faces different circumstances when it comes to implementing a Trap-Neuter-Return program, there is no single formula for success—though there are basic common denominators. One town may already have a flourishing feral cat care model in place. Another community may face an uphill battle, with punitive laws or public perceptions that are obstacles to implementing a program.
Most effective programs include some element of the seven steps outlined and explained below. Though none are required, consider each one and how it applies to your organization and locale before moving forward.
Benefits of an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Through Trap-Neuter-Return, cats are humanely trapped, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered. Stray cats (cats socialized to humans) and kittens are adopted into homes, and healthy adult feral cats are returned to their outdoor homes, where their lives are greatly improved without the strains of mating behaviors and pregnancy. Another important component of a Trap-Neuter-Return program includes outreach—promoting organizational services and educating the public about humane methods of cat care.
For an organizational program, it is important to understand that Trap-Neuter-Return involves straightforward steps that result in significant, measurable, and positive outcomes for the cats, the community, and your organization.
Organizations realize positive benefits after implementing Trap-Neuter-Return, including:
Improving the cats’ lives;
Stabilizing colonies—reproduction stops and litters are not born;
An immediate reduction in calls from neighbors about behaviors associated with mating, including spraying, caterwauling, fighting, roaming, and breeding;
Resources previously spent on ineffective removal and/or lethal services are spent on non-lethal, life-saving, positive, publicly-supported initiatives such as subsidized neuter services, adoption, and outreach programs; and
Positive public reaction, fundraising platforms and partnership opportunities, media exposure, and support from staff, volunteers, other like-minded organizations, and the community at large.
Seven Recommended Considerations for Trap-Neuter-Return Program Implementation
Gather baseline statistics and assess your community.
Build your “people power.”
Set policies and establish a trapping plan.
Determine a funding plan.
Set a veterinary care plan.
Organize a community outreach component to educate the public, promote services, and build support.
Evaluate the success of your Trap-Neuter-Return program.
Next Step: Gather baseline statistics and assess your community
Feral cats require a different kind of care because they are unsocialized to people and are not candidates for adoption. Many organizations recognize their unique needs, and offer information about how to improve the lives of stray and feral cats. Others want to go a step further and launch their own Trap-Neuter-Return programs. These groups understand that the best practice is to neuter, vaccinate, and allow feral cats to remain in their original habitat along with their colony members. Alley Cat Allies’ guidelines will help organizations interested in adopting this humane, life-saving program implement one that is effective and sustainable.
Because every community faces different circumstances when it comes to implementing a Trap-Neuter-Return program, there is no single formula for success—though there are basic common denominators. One town may already have a flourishing feral cat care model in place. Another community may face an uphill battle, with punitive laws or public perceptions that are obstacles to implementing a program.
Most effective programs include some element of the seven steps outlined and explained below. Though none are required, consider each one and how it applies to your organization and locale before moving forward.
Benefits of an Organizational Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Through Trap-Neuter-Return, cats are humanely trapped, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered. Stray cats (cats socialized to humans) and kittens are adopted into homes, and healthy adult feral cats are returned to their outdoor homes, where their lives are greatly improved without the strains of mating behaviors and pregnancy. Another important component of a Trap-Neuter-Return program includes outreach—promoting organizational services and educating the public about humane methods of cat care.
For an organizational program, it is important to understand that Trap-Neuter-Return involves straightforward steps that result in significant, measurable, and positive outcomes for the cats, the community, and your organization.
Organizations realize positive benefits after implementing Trap-Neuter-Return, including:
Improving the cats’ lives;
Stabilizing colonies—reproduction stops and litters are not born;
An immediate reduction in calls from neighbors about behaviors associated with mating, including spraying, caterwauling, fighting, roaming, and breeding;
Resources previously spent on ineffective removal and/or lethal services are spent on non-lethal, life-saving, positive, publicly-supported initiatives such as subsidized neuter services, adoption, and outreach programs; and
Positive public reaction, fundraising platforms and partnership opportunities, media exposure, and support from staff, volunteers, other like-minded organizations, and the community at large.
Seven Recommended Considerations for Trap-Neuter-Return Program Implementation
Gather baseline statistics and assess your community.
Build your “people power.”
Set policies and establish a trapping plan.
Determine a funding plan.
Set a veterinary care plan.
Organize a community outreach component to educate the public, promote services, and build support.
Evaluate the success of your Trap-Neuter-Return program.
Next Step: Gather baseline statistics and assess your community
Why start an organization to help outdoor (feral) cats?
Organization to Help Cats
Why start an organization? Many people working individually to help cats are filling a gap in their community, providing an important and unique service. However, if you are one of these people, you may begin to want to improve the lives of more cats and increase your influence in the community. Starting your own organization to help outdoor cats is a demanding, but rewarding way to effect change at the local level on a greater scale.
Creating a safe place where individuals can come together under the umbrella of an organization will help you gain credibility in your community, reach out to and involve more people, and raise money to support your efforts—all with the goal of having a significant impact in helping more cats. The steps you take when starting an organization also help you create a clear plan to changing your community for the better.*
Step-by-Step
Do Your Research and Preliminary Planning
Write Your Mission Statement and Set Your Goals
Determine Your Business Plan and Your Tactics, Programs, and Activities
Clarify the Rules – Set your bylaws, policies, procedures, and systems
Establish a Board of Directors
Incorporate your Organization
Manage Your Dollars with Sense
Create a Following
Recruit supporters, volunteers, and employees
Provide Quality Services and Continually Assess Your Progress
Print this Guide
Quick Links
How Organizations Can Implement a Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Need more information?
Use our online inquiry form
Other reasons:
Status. The formation of a local group enhances the status of the cats and your work.
Support. Donations, community support, and media attention are more readily given to an organized group than to an individual.
Hometown Pride. Many businesses and community newspapers like to support local causes, because that is where their customer base is.
Government Responsiveness. Local government officials are more responsive to local residents and local organizations.
Crisis Prevention and Response. In times of trouble, your organization’s supporters can band together to put pressure on local government bodies or others who threaten the well-being of the cats. It’s a lot easier and quicker to mobilize an existing network in a crisis than to try to create one.
Moral Support. Solitary caregivers and the cats for which they care need a safety-net to be successful. Caregivers can enjoy the benefits of being able to call on others when they are in need of help.
Success Breeds Success. Your program will help build a successful foundation that can be expanded to help even more people and cats and gain even more supporters.
Acting Locally. It’s easier to motivate people to address a situation in their own community that they can see and experience. Time and money invested locally empowers people to get involved. It’s the principle “think globally, act locally” put into practice.
Some Things to Keep in Mind when Starting Your Own Organization
GOALS
Begin by creating a clear understanding of what you seek to accomplish by starting an organization. Write a mission statement that will define every goal and action of your organization. Create goals for both the long-term and the short-term.
PARTNERS
The next step is to ensure that any partners you have on board also understand your goals and agree with them. Beginning with a strong base and having clearly-defined goals will help you garner more supporters and help you raise funds later.
SMALL BUSINESS MENTALITY
While this may be something you are trying to accomplish in your free time, treat your new organization as a small business. Planning, management, and fundraising are essential to the success or failure of your new group. It is important to plan on spending an equal amount of time on administrative aspects of your organization as you will on direct animal care, campaigns, and any of the other goals of your group.
TEAMWORK
No one person must, or even can, do everything. Most successful organizations are the product of teamwork, requiring the cooperation of people with varied skills and talents who share a dedication to the group’s purpose. One person’s interests and talents may lead him or her to spend time on direct animal care, while someone else will need to spend time on administrative tasks. Think about your various needs and the strengths of your partners as you plan.
Next Step: Do Your Research and Preliminary Planning
* This part of the website, Starting Your Own Organization to Help Cats, is adapted from the original “Starting a Nonprofit Organization to Help Animals” by Bonney Brown
Why start an organization? Many people working individually to help cats are filling a gap in their community, providing an important and unique service. However, if you are one of these people, you may begin to want to improve the lives of more cats and increase your influence in the community. Starting your own organization to help outdoor cats is a demanding, but rewarding way to effect change at the local level on a greater scale.
Creating a safe place where individuals can come together under the umbrella of an organization will help you gain credibility in your community, reach out to and involve more people, and raise money to support your efforts—all with the goal of having a significant impact in helping more cats. The steps you take when starting an organization also help you create a clear plan to changing your community for the better.*
Step-by-Step
Do Your Research and Preliminary Planning
Write Your Mission Statement and Set Your Goals
Determine Your Business Plan and Your Tactics, Programs, and Activities
Clarify the Rules – Set your bylaws, policies, procedures, and systems
Establish a Board of Directors
Incorporate your Organization
Manage Your Dollars with Sense
Create a Following
Recruit supporters, volunteers, and employees
Provide Quality Services and Continually Assess Your Progress
Print this Guide
Quick Links
How Organizations Can Implement a Trap-Neuter-Return Program
Need more information?
Use our online inquiry form
Other reasons:
Status. The formation of a local group enhances the status of the cats and your work.
Support. Donations, community support, and media attention are more readily given to an organized group than to an individual.
Hometown Pride. Many businesses and community newspapers like to support local causes, because that is where their customer base is.
Government Responsiveness. Local government officials are more responsive to local residents and local organizations.
Crisis Prevention and Response. In times of trouble, your organization’s supporters can band together to put pressure on local government bodies or others who threaten the well-being of the cats. It’s a lot easier and quicker to mobilize an existing network in a crisis than to try to create one.
Moral Support. Solitary caregivers and the cats for which they care need a safety-net to be successful. Caregivers can enjoy the benefits of being able to call on others when they are in need of help.
Success Breeds Success. Your program will help build a successful foundation that can be expanded to help even more people and cats and gain even more supporters.
Acting Locally. It’s easier to motivate people to address a situation in their own community that they can see and experience. Time and money invested locally empowers people to get involved. It’s the principle “think globally, act locally” put into practice.
Some Things to Keep in Mind when Starting Your Own Organization
GOALS
Begin by creating a clear understanding of what you seek to accomplish by starting an organization. Write a mission statement that will define every goal and action of your organization. Create goals for both the long-term and the short-term.
PARTNERS
The next step is to ensure that any partners you have on board also understand your goals and agree with them. Beginning with a strong base and having clearly-defined goals will help you garner more supporters and help you raise funds later.
SMALL BUSINESS MENTALITY
While this may be something you are trying to accomplish in your free time, treat your new organization as a small business. Planning, management, and fundraising are essential to the success or failure of your new group. It is important to plan on spending an equal amount of time on administrative aspects of your organization as you will on direct animal care, campaigns, and any of the other goals of your group.
TEAMWORK
No one person must, or even can, do everything. Most successful organizations are the product of teamwork, requiring the cooperation of people with varied skills and talents who share a dedication to the group’s purpose. One person’s interests and talents may lead him or her to spend time on direct animal care, while someone else will need to spend time on administrative tasks. Think about your various needs and the strengths of your partners as you plan.
Next Step: Do Your Research and Preliminary Planning
* This part of the website, Starting Your Own Organization to Help Cats, is adapted from the original “Starting a Nonprofit Organization to Help Animals” by Bonney Brown
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